Thursday, January 25, 2007 Western Visayas guvs vow to fight Gonzalez when needed By Lory Ann B. Bilbao
FIVE governors in Western Visayas promised that they would fight the "barbaric assaults" that will be inflicted on them, just like what happened to Iloilo Governor Niel Tupas Sr.
Governor Sally Perez of Antique and Guimaras Governor Rhaman Nava, together with the representatives for the other governors, Mayor of Aklan for Governor Carlito Marquez, Board Member Alfonso Bediones for Vicente Bermejo of Capiz, Board Member Francis Gerald Tubilla for Negros Occidental Governor Joseph Marañon, said they would fight Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez Sr. if needed.
This came after the camp of Tupas strongly pointed to Gonzalez as the one behind his dismissal and the assault at the Provincial Capitol last Jan. 17, 2007.
Perez, during a press conference this week, said that when they'd be put in the same situation, they will fight for they have the capabilities to do so.
Meanwhile, they signed a resolution urging President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, through the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (Ulap) and Governors' League president Erico Aumentado, to investigate some high government officials, the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel who were involved in the Capitol siege.
"Western Visayas is a place of abode where peaceful and freedom loving people have for decades been living in an environment of calm and tranquility. This atmosphere of relative calmness and peace was shattered by the January 17, 2007 siege of the Capitol of the region's premiere province, Iloilo, purportedly implementing a lawful order of the Ombudsman to evict the duly constituted and elected Governor of Iloilo, Niel Tupas."
"The application of force has breached and disrupted unnecessarily the peace and orderly government functions in the capitol building which is preposterous to the purpose of serving the order of the Ombudsman by the DILG and the PNP, and the CIDG, and was done in a manner short of rampage and tumult, by the very enforcers who are agents of the law themselves, despite the plea of the Governors of a little time for sobriety and negotiations to take its course, if only to avert violence or even bloodshed, thereby significantly eroding the trust and confidence of the Governors for the regional officials and personnel of the DILG and the PNP-CIDG who were tasked with the serving of the order in a hasty manner resulting into mayhem, confusion and fear among those inside the capitol."
"We now strongly feel that those involved in the Iloilo Capitol siege, specifically the PNP officers and men should be investigated and if warranted by the facts and circumstances be disciplined and sanctioned and further shall no longer be acceptable, if given reassignments in our respective provinces."
The Senate on the other hand starts its probe on the siege Thursday. The committees on public order led by its Senator Franklin Drilon and committee on local government led by Senator Alfredo Lim are to inquire on the incident.
Board Member Niel Tupas Jr. said he, his father Governor Tupas, Mayor Raul Tupas, his brother, and sister Nielette together with Provincial Administrator Manuel Mejorada and Legal Officer Salvador Cabaluna will join the inquiry today, the result of which is aimed to aid legislations.
